It’s the Year of the Horse, and it’s not just any horse, it’s the Fire Horse!

I read that the last time we had this combination of animal and element, it was 60 years ago, in 1966. And as the fire horse is associated with strength, endurance, speed, decisiveness, and success, this year is auspicious for trailblazing.

However, ever since I watched that kdrama, “Lovers of the Red Sky” (2021), I’ve come to associate swift horses with the painting of the female character that she had entered in a painting competition. The assignment was clear enough. The contestants were to draw wildlife, and use the prompt from these lines of poetry,

“As the spring air grows warmer, the verdure deepens.
Galloping down the road where flowers bloom,
their scent lingers on the horse’s hooves.”

The painters were ordered to interpret the theme in a unique way for extra points.

Thus, they painted a king’s favorite battle horse, a herd of horses resting in a flower field, a tethered horse fighting its restraint, another tethered horse at rest, and two racing horses running under a tree. All these works of art received accolades from the judges. They fit in the mold of their expectations.

But when the judges saw the female lead’s painting, they were truly mystified. Not a single horse was painted. Instead, the paper was filled with butterflies in flight.

Judge 1: How on earth did she interpret the given theme?
Judge 2: The butterflies are well-drawn but… ?
Judge 3: Where in the world is the horse?!

It was only the Grand Prince who understood her work and he was astonished by its sublime meaning.

GP: What an incredible interpretation! The painting shows the butterflies fluttering in the flowers’ scent after the horses have passed. She has drawn the butterflies chasing the floral scent stirred by the horse trampling on the petals.

The painter (played by Kim Yoo Jung) was relieved. She had worried no one would get it.

Once enlightened, the judges agreed that it was a novel and inspired interpretation and that they learned something new. But one of them remained unconvinced. He quibbled that it didn’t follow the genre as she didn’t draw a horse. So, the GP explained patiently.

GP: All in all, the spirit of a subject matter must be captured both through what is seen and what is not seen.

He added that, based on technical skills alone, she had clearly demonstrated deft brushwork, accurate imitation, and excellent composition. But what set her painting far above the others was that she had grasped the essence of nature at work.

GP: And the spirit of her painting even captured the awe-inspiring way of nature like when something scatters in the wind or pauses upon meeting water. This is truly divine work.

So… why am I bringing this up now? How does this scene from a not-so-viral historical kdrama from 2021 relate to the Lunar New Year?

Well, it’s like this.

When you’re galloping full speed, with eyes keenly focused on your destination, you must remind yourself to slow down and see what’s truly essential. The blooming flowers with their lingering scents and flitting butterflies have only a short season in the sun: it would be a pity to miss them because you were in such a haste.

May this year bring you good company, good health, good fortune, good memories, and contentment.